‘Those who advocate the Ganga-Jamuni culture never thought of bringing Dara Shikoh forward’: RSS General Secy Dattatreya Hosabale

BENGALURU: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Sunday slammed the advocates for the Ganga-Jamuni culture, which promotes harmony between different cultures, but never considered Aurangzeb’s brother Dara Shikoh a hero.

This, he argued, raises questions about who India should associate with its ethos. He stressed that this is not a matter of religion, but rather about identifying with individuals who worked according to India’s traditions.

Addressing a press conference, Hosabale questioned the iconization of historical figures who were against India’s ethos. He cited the example of Aurangzeb Road in Delhi being renamed Abdul Kalam Road, highlighting that there was a reason behind this change.

“… There have been a lot of incidents in the past. There was an ‘Aurangzeb Road’ in Delhi, which was renamed Abdul Kalam Road. There was some reason behind it. Aurangzeb’s brother, Dara Shikoh, was not made a hero. Those who advocate the Ganga-Jamuni culture never thought of bringing Dara Shikoh forward. Are we going to iconize someone who was against the ethos of India, or are we going to go with those who worked according to the traditions of this land?” said the RSS General Secretary.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnata | General Secretary of RSS, Dattatreya Hosabale, says, “… There have been a lot of incidents in the past. There was an ‘Aurangzeb Road’ in Delhi, which was renamed Abdul Kalam Road. There was some reason behind it. Aurangzeb’s brother, Dara Shikoh,… pic.twitter.com/hHAXzyCZGS

— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2025

Dara Shikoh (1615-1659) was the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and a pioneer of interfaith understanding in India. He’s described as a “liberal Muslim” who sought to find common ground between Hindu and Islamic traditions.

Dara Shikoh was declared Crown Prince in 1655 but was defeated by Aurangzeb in 1657. He was eventually assassinated by Aurangzeb in 1659 at the age of 44. His works, such as Majma-ul-Bahrain and Sirr-i-Akbar, aimed to establish connections between Hinduism and Islam.

He translated the Upanishads and other Hindu texts from Sanskrit to Persian, introducing Indian culture and spirituality to Europe and the West. Unlike his brother Aurangzeb, Dara Shikoh was inclined towards philosophy and mysticism, rather than military pursuits.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka | On Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale says, “The government has formed a commission for Waqf. We will see what they come up with. Whatever has happened till now has happened in the right direction… We will see… pic.twitter.com/GeV9JCMSnT

— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2025

The RSS leader also distinguished between fighting against the British and fighting against those who came before them. He noted that Maharana Pratap’s fight was indeed a freedom movement and that people with an “invader mentality” pose a danger to the country.

“If the freedom fighting is done against Britishers, then it is a freedom fight. The fight against those who were before them (Britishers) was also a freedom movement. What Maharana Pratap did was fight for freedom. If there are people with an invader mentality, then they are a danger to the country… We have to decide whom we are going to associate with the ethos of our country… It is not about religion… This is RSS’s firm view…,” said Hosabale.

His remarks came after, recent clashes in Nagpur which erupted on March 17 over demands for the removal of Aurangzeb’s grave. Tensions escalated further when rumours circulated that a holy book of a particular community had been burnt during the agitation. However, the situation has now returned to normal, and the curfew imposed in several areas has been lifted.

Speaking on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, Hosabale said, “The government has formed a commission for Waqf. We will see what they come up with. Whatever has happened till now has happened in the right direction. We will see what happens further…”

The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. (ANI)